Patents by Inventor Tomofumi HIRUKAWA

Tomofumi HIRUKAWA has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20250118878
    Abstract: A cell stack assembly, including: a plurality of stacked battery cells, each including an electrode assembly; a laminate exterior packaging that covers the electrode assembly and encloses the electrode assembly internally; and a fixing tape, including at least one of an inner fixing tape wound in a peripheral direction onto an outer peripheral face of the electrode assembly at an inner side of the laminate exterior packaging, or an outer fixing tape wound in a peripheral direction onto an outer peripheral face of the laminate exterior packaging, wherein: taking a direction in which the plurality of battery cells are stacked as a stacking direction, the fixing tape is wound such that winding positions of the fixing tape do not overlap in the stacking direction for at least one adjacent pair of the battery cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2024
    Publication date: April 10, 2025
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke IKEDA, Kenichi KAKISHITA, Tomofumi HIRUKAWA, Masashi UEDA, Shinji KOJIMA, Masataka OGUSHI, Kosuke YONEKAWA
  • Patent number: 12272793
    Abstract: The manufacturing method herein disclosed includes a forming step of stacking a positive electrode sheet including a positive electrode active material layer on a positive electrode collector, a negative electrode sheet including a negative electrode active material layer on a negative electrode collector, and a separator sheet, thereby forming an electrode body; a constructing step of accommodating the electrode body in a battery case, and pouring an electrolyte into the battery case, thereby constructing a battery assembly; and a charging step of charging the battery assembly. At least any one of the positive electrode active material layer and the negative electrode active material layer has an undulating shape in a stacking direction, and a pit depth of the undulation is 10 ?m or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: PRIME PLANET ENERGY & SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Tomofumi Hirukawa
  • Publication number: 20250096224
    Abstract: An electrode production method that can suppress the thickness nonuniformity in an electrode is provided. The electrode production method includes: forming a first active material layer on a first face of a current collector; pressing the first active material layer for the first time; and pressing the first active material layer for the second time after said first pressing, wherein the proportion of a pressing linear pressure P2 in said second pressing to a pressing linear pressure P1 in said first pressing is 100% to 200%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2024
    Publication date: March 20, 2025
    Inventors: Tomofumi HIRUKAWA, Toru KOMATSUZAKI, Yuki MASUDA, Takeshi KONDO, Tomokuni ABE
  • Publication number: 20250055167
    Abstract: A battery cell includes an electrode body in which a plurality of laminated structures having a cathode, an anode, and a separator interposed between the cathode and the anode are further laminated, and a tape wound around the outer periphery of the electrode body over one circumference, wherein the tape has an overlapping portion in which one side and the other end side in an outer peripheral direction overlap each other, and a direction in which a plurality of laminated structures are laminated in the electrode body is defined as a lamination direction, and in a case where an end surface in a lamination direction in the electrode body is defined as a lamination surface, the overlapping portion is disposed on a surface other than the lamination surface in the electrode body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2024
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke IKEDA, Kenichi Kakishita, Tomofumi Hirukawa, Masashi Ueda, Shinji Kojima, Masataka Ogushi, Kosuke Yonekawa
  • Publication number: 20250055081
    Abstract: A laminated battery, a battery element, and a laminate film enclosing the battery element, wherein the laminate film has a fused portion in which end portions are overlapped and an inner surface is fused, and the laminate film has a fused portion side surface in which a fused portion is formed, an opposite side surface opposed to the fused portion side surface, and a pair of main surfaces orthogonal to the fused portion side surface and the opposite side surface and having an area larger than the fused portion side surface and the opposite side surface, and the laminate film has an uneven shape on at least one of the fused portion side surface and the opposite side surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2024
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenichi KAKISHITA, Yusuke IKEDA, Tomofumi HIRUKAWA, Masashi UEDA, Shinji KOJIMA, Masataka OGUSHI, Kosuke YONEKAWA
  • Publication number: 20240332493
    Abstract: A main object of the present disclosure is to provide a method for producing an electrode of which uncoated part can stretch while inhibiting breakage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Tomofumi HIRUKAWA, Kengo HAGA
  • Patent number: 12046740
    Abstract: The electrode production method disclosed herein has the steps of: preparing an electrode mix paste that contains at least an active material and a solvent; applying the electrode mix paste onto the surface of a collector; and drying a coating film made up of the electrode mix paste applied on the collector. The step of drying includes a residual heat period, a constant rate drying period, and a falling rate drying period. The coating film is pressed at least one time in the falling rate drying period, and the pressing is carried out under conditions such that film thickness of the coating film is not lower than 80% relative to 100% as the film thickness prior to the pressing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: PRIME PLANET ENERGY & SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Tomofumi Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 12027689
    Abstract: A main object of the present disclosure is to provide a method for producing an electrode of which uncoated part can stretch while inhibiting breakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomofumi Hirukawa, Kengo Haga
  • Patent number: 11817571
    Abstract: A method for producing an electrode sheet includes a first feeding process, a roll press process, and a second feeding process, which are performed in this order. At least one of a first tension per unit area obtained by dividing a tension applied to the electrode sheet in a longitudinal direction in the first feeding process by a cross-sectional area of the electrode sheet being fed in the first feeding process and a second tension per unit area obtained by dividing a tension applied to the electrode sheet in a longitudinal direction in the second feeding process by a cross-sectional area of the electrode sheet being fed in the second feeding process is 5.0 MPa or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: PRIME PLANET ENERGY & SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Kota Nakamura, Tomofumi Hirukawa
  • Publication number: 20230223513
    Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus for an electrode plate includes: a conveyance line of the electrode plate having an applied portion in which an electrode active material is applied to a surface of a base material and a non-applied portion in which the electrode active material is not applied to the surface of the base material; a compression roll provided in the conveyance line and compressing the applied portion; and a tension reducing mechanism provided in at least one of an upstream section ending at the compression roll or a downstream section starting at the compression roll in the conveyance line and reducing a tension applied to the electrode plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Tetsumasa MARUO, Tomofumi HIRUKAWA
  • Publication number: 20230079146
    Abstract: A main object of the present disclosure is to provide a method for producing an electrode of which uncoated part can stretch while inhibiting breakage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Tomofumi HIRUKAWA, Kengo HAGA
  • Publication number: 20220293901
    Abstract: A roll press apparatus includes a first press roll and a second press roll. The first press roll includes a first contact part configured to contact an active material portion of a strip-shaped electrode sheet and a second contact part configured to contact an active-material absent portion of the strip-shaped electrode sheet. The second contact part has a large frictional-force generating form that causes a larger frictional force to be generated between the second contact part and the active-material absent portion of the strip-shaped electrode sheet than an imaginary frictional force which would be generated if the active-material absent portion of the strip-shaped electrode sheet were made to contact the first contact part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Kengo HAGA, Tomofumi HIRUKAWA, Kota NAKAMURA, Tomoya SUZUKI, Hideji NAITO, Yoshihide ENOMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220293911
    Abstract: A roll press apparatus forms a compressed strip-shaped electrode plate by roll-pressing a strip-shaped electrode plate including an active material portion and an active material absent portion and including a tensile-force-ratio adjustment mechanism adjusting a tensile force ratio of an upstream active material absent portion tensile force applied to an upstream side and a downstream active material absent portion tensile force applied to a downstream side of an inter-roll active material absent portion held in a non-compressed state between a pair of press rolls in an active material absent portion of the strip-shaped electrode plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Applicants: PRIME PLANET ENERGY & SOLUTIONS, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kengo HAGA, Tomofumi HIRUKAWA, Kota NAKAMURA, Tomoya SUZUKI, Hideji NAITO, Yoshihide ENOMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220285663
    Abstract: A roll press apparatus for producing a compressed strip-shaped electrode sheet from a strip-shaped electrode sheet including an active material portion and an active-material absent portion is provided with a pair of press rolls arranged in parallel with a roll gap and configured to roll-press the strip-shaped electrode sheet being conveyed in a longitudinal direction for compression to form a compressed active material layer, and an active-material-absent-portion stretching unit arranged upstream of the press rolls and configured to stretch the active-material absent portion of the strip-shaped electrode sheet in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Tomofumi HIRUKAWA, Tetsumasa MARUO, Kengo HAGA, Kota NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220263139
    Abstract: The manufacturing method herein disclosed includes a forming step of stacking a positive electrode sheet including a positive electrode active material layer on a positive electrode collector, a negative electrode sheet including a negative electrode active material layer on a negative electrode collector, and a separator sheet, thereby forming an electrode body; a constructing step of accommodating the electrode body in a battery case, and pouring an electrolyte into the battery case, thereby constructing a battery assembly; and a charging step of charging the battery assembly. At least any one of the positive electrode active material layer and the negative electrode active material layer has an undulating shape in a stacking direction, and a pit depth of the undulation is 10 ?m or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventor: Tomofumi HIRUKAWA
  • Publication number: 20220209212
    Abstract: The electrode production method disclosed herein has the steps of: preparing an electrode mix paste that contains at least an active material and a solvent; applying the electrode mix paste onto the surface of a collector; and drying a coating film made up of the electrode mix paste applied on the collector. The step of drying includes a residual heat period, a constant rate drying period, and a falling rate drying period. The coating film is pressed at least one time in the falling rate drying period, and the pressing is carried out under conditions such that film thickness of the coating film is not lower than 80% relative to 100% as the film thickness prior to the pressing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventor: Tomofumi HIRUKAWA
  • Publication number: 20220109137
    Abstract: A method for producing an electrode sheet includes a first feeding process, a roll press process, and a second feeding process, which are performed in this order. At least one of a first tension per unit area obtained by dividing a tension applied to the electrode sheet in a longitudinal direction in the first feeding process by a cross-sectional area of the electrode sheet being fed in the first feeding process and a second tension per unit area obtained by dividing a tension applied to the electrode sheet in a longitudinal direction in the second feeding process by a cross-sectional area of the electrode sheet being fed in the second feeding process is 5.0 MPa or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Kota NAKAMURA, Tomofumi HIRUKAWA
  • Patent number: 11211597
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electrode belt that includes pressing a belt-shaped current collector foil with an electrode mixture layer along a longitudinal direction in a thickness direction of the electrode mixture layer so that the electrode mixture layer is formed on a part of the current collector foil, and stretching, by a stretching roll, a non-forming part of the current collector foil in which the electrode mixture layer is not formed and in which the current collector foil is exposed in respective ends in a width direction. The stretching roll includes a first roll opposed to the electrode mixture layer, and a pair of second rolls arranged in respective ends of the first roll in an axial direction and opposed to the non-forming part. A central axis of the first roll is deviated with respect to a central axis of the pair of second rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomofumi Hirukawa, Keisuke Takano
  • Patent number: 11094920
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a belt-like electrode including: a pair of press rolls configured to press a belt-like current collector foil with an electrode mixture layer along a longitudinal direction in a thickness direction of the electrode mixture layer; and a stretching roll configured to stretch a non-forming part which is the current collector foil without the electrode mixture layer in respective ends in a width direction is provided. The stretching roll includes: a first roll opposed to the electrode mixture layer formed in the current collector foil; and a pair of second rolls arranged in respective ends of the first roll in an axial direction and opposed to the non-forming part, and a central axis of the first roll is deviated with respect to a central axis of the pair of second rolls in a direction away from the stretched current collector foil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomofumi Hirukawa, Keisuke Takano
  • Publication number: 20210249644
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a belt-like electrode including: a pair of press rolls configured to press a belt-like current collector foil with an electrode mixture layer along a longitudinal direction in a thickness direction of the electrode mixture layer; and a stretching roll configured to stretch a non-forming part which is the current collector foil without the electrode mixture layer in respective ends in a width direction is provided. The stretching roll includes: a first roll opposed to the electrode mixture layer formed in the current collector foil; and a pair of second rolls arranged in respective ends of the first roll in an axial direction and opposed to the non-forming part, and a central axis of the first roll is deviated with respect to a central axis of the pair of second rolls in a direction away from the stretched current collector foil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomofumi HIRUKAWA, Keisuke TAKANO